Portable heating apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable heating apparatus to supply a predetermined amount of heat and hot water, is disclosed. The portable heating apparatus comprises a condensing boiler comprising an inlet port to receive the water from any external supply unit wherein a central heating system is configured to heat the water to a predefined temperature. A storage container is configured to receive the predetermined amount of hot water from the condensing boiler via a connecting pipe raised by a central pump, wherein the storage container is configured to constantly heat the hot water and routes the hot water to a radiator section via a distribution line for heating a surrounding space. The condensing boiler and the storage container are mounted on a frame and maneuvered on a plane surface using a handle and a wheel assembly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Danish Patent ApplicationPA201700623, titled “PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS” and filed in theDenmark Patent and Trademark Office on Nov. 7, 2017. The specificationof the above referenced patent application is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Technical field

The invention disclosed herein generally relates to a portable heatingapparatus. More particularly, the invention disclosed herein relates tothe portable heating apparatus with a boiler to supply heat and hotwater especially in outdoor applications.

B. Description of related art

Hot water is an indispensable requirement for most of the peoplenowadays. Due to drastic climate changes, people are adapting to theconditions with the extreme need for hot water and heating systems tomake themselves in their comfortable zone. There have been numerousapparatus and methods to provide hot water and heat for domesticapplications such as home and public buildings. Boilers are mostcommonly used for this purpose to heat the water using the combustion ofnatural gas or oil as fuels.

Conventional boilers and hot water heaters, have been used widely forthese applications. However, they have their own set of problems andlimitations. Generation of heat by an electrical resistive element isvery expensive and at the same time, it is very slow and inefficient.Electrical resistive elements used to heat water are subject to foulingwith mineral deposits that further limits the efficiency and theiruseful life and leads to excessive maintenance costs.

A prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,582 of Wingen, discloses a fluidheating apparatus or system. Said apparatus has a fluid inlet, a fluidoutlet, and a fluid path, and comprises a fluid pumping assemblyconfigured to increase the pressure of the fluid on the fluid path. Aheating assembly is configured to heat the fluid between the fluid inletand outlet and forms a portion of the fluid path. A heat recoveryassembly is configured to recover heat from the exhaust gases and formsa portion of the fluid path to transfer recovered heat to fluid movingthrough the fluid path. A collection assembly may be employed to collectcondensation from exhaust gases passing through the recovery assembly.

Most of the boilers use a plurality of tanks and a combustion unit in acomplex design to supply hot water and heat. However, the systems arenot energy efficient and not user-friendly. When it comes to outdoorapplications, these systems are extremely important to supply hot wateror heat. Because, at festival pitches, camping and mobile bathing units,the requirement for hot water is challenging. Along with that, the needfor providing radiant heat transfer for a surrounding space near thecamping areas is another factor which determines the degree of comfortfor the people.

Hence, there is a long-felt need for an energy efficient portableheating apparatus with a boiler that is easily maneuverable to supplyboth heat and hot water in outdoor applications such as festivalpitches, camping and so on.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally discloses a portable heating apparatus.The present invention directed to the portable heating apparatus with aboiler to supply heat and hot water especially in outdoor applications.

In an embodiment, the portable heating apparatus comprises a condensingboiler comprising an inlet port to receive the water from any externalsupply unit, wherein a central heating system is configured to heat thewater to a predefined temperature. A storage container is configured toreceive the predetermined amount of hot water from the condensing boilervia a connecting pipe raised by a central pump, wherein the storagecontainer is configured to constantly heat the hot water and routes thehot water to a radiator section via a distribution line for heating asurrounding space.

In another embodiment, the central pump and the central heating systemin the portable heating apparatus are powered by a solar module. Thecondensing boiler and the storage container are mounted on a frame andmaneuvered on a plane surface using a handle and a wheel assembly.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description. It should beunderstood, however, that the detailed description and the specificexamples, while indicating specific embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The embodiments herein will be better understood from the followingdetailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 exemplary shows a perspective view of a portable heatingapparatus to supply heat and hot water, incorporating the aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 exemplary shows a rear view of a portable heating apparatus tosupply heat and hot water, incorporating the aspects of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A description of embodiments of the present invention will now be givenwith reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present inventionmay be embodied in other specific forms without departing from itsspirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to beconsidered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. Thescope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come withinthe meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embracedwithin their scope.

FIG. 1 exemplarily illustrates the perspective view of the portableheating apparatus 100. The portable heating apparatus 100 comprises acondensing boiler 102 comprising an inlet port 104 to receive the waterfrom any external supply unit, wherein a central heating system 106 isconfigured to heat the water to a predefined temperature. A storagecontainer 108 is configured to receive the predetermined amount of hotwater from the condensing boiler 102 via a connecting pipe 110 raised bya central pump 112. The storage container 108 is a tank configured toconstantly heat the hot water and routes the hot water to a radiatorsection via a distribution line 114 a for heating a surrounding space.The condensing boiler 102 and the storage container 108 are mounted on aframe 118 and maneuvered on a plane surface using a handle 120 and awheel assembly 122 so that the portable heating apparatus 100 could beeasily get into all doorways and easy to move with less effort as shownin FIG. 2.

In an embodiment, according to FIG. 1, the portable heating apparatus100 comprises two distribution lines (114 a, 114 b). A firstdistribution line 114 a is configured to send the hot water from thestorage container 108 to the radiator section for heating thesurrounding space and a second distribution line 114 b is configured toroute the cold water from the radiator section back to the condensingboiler 102 for heating once the radiative heat transfer to thesurrounding space is completed. The use of condensing boilers 102 allowsthe portable heating apparatus 100 to operate at maximum efficiency asthey condense the water vapor in the exhausting gases and recover thelatent heat of vaporization.

In additional embodiments, according to FIG. 1, the central pump 112 isa key component in the storage container 108 to lift the hot water fromthe condensing boiler 102. It is also used as hot water circulating pumpto discharge hot water through the first distribution line 114 a to theradiator section for heating the surrounding space. The storagecontainer 108 further comprises one or more spiral heating elements 124to constantly heat the hot water received from the condensing boiler102. The spiral heating elements 124 are coils powered by the solarmodule 116 to heat the hot water from the condensing boiler 102 atoptimal temperature. The connecting pipe 110 is attached between thecondensing boiler 102 and the storage container 108 to allow themovement of hot water.

In an embodiment, according to FIG. 1, the central pump 112 and thecentral heating system 106 are powered by the solar module 116. Thesolar module 116 comprises a deployable panel containing one or moresolar panels that are removably attached side to side. These solarpanels get charged during the day time and uses an electricalconfiguration to store the energy in a battery positioned in the centralheating system 106. In different embodiments, the portable heatingapparatus 100 is connected to a generator to power at least one of thecentral pump 112, an electric lighter 130 and a display unit 136 in anyemergency situations. A hot water exit pipe 126 is also provided in thecondensing boiler 102 to allow the discharge of hot water if desired bythe user.

In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, the portable heating apparatus100 is supplied with an energy source such as propane gas. Propane gasin bottled cylinders containing about 11 kg could be used with fullconsumption. In case, if the requirement of the portable heatingapparatus 100 is minimal, the bottled gas would come for 3 to 4 days ofconsumption. The central heating system 106 comprises a thermal burner128 in the condensing boiler 102 configured to heat the water using theelectric lighter 130. The thermal burner 128 is configured to burn thegas supplied from the cylinders and combustion happens inside thecentral heating system 106 to heat the cold water coming via the inletport 104. The central heating system 106 also uses a heat exchangerwhich is a helical coil disposed in the annular space of the condensingboiler 102. This heat exchanger transfers the combustion heat to thewater as a result of which the water gets heated up to the desiredtemperature. A smoke exhaust port 132 is mounted on the portable heatingapparatus 100 to direct the exhaust emissions outside.

As shown in FIG. 1, the central heating system 106 of the portableheating apparatus 100 uses the electric lighter 130 to provide ignitionfor the combustion of the gas to heat the water in the condensing boiler102. The electric lighter 130 is controlled using a three-way valve 134to selectively choose the supply of the heat and the hot water. Further,the display unit 136 is provided in the condensing boiler 102 toindicate the status of the temperature at which the water is heated. Oneor more push buttons 138 are installed in the condensing boiler 102 toallow the user to select functionalities such as increasing anddecreasing the temperature to heat the water, adjusting the three-wayvalve 134 to selectively choose the supply of the heat and the hot waterfrom the portable heating apparatus 100 and selecting the power supplyfrom either the solar module 116 or the generator.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 118 is configured to carry the condensingboiler 102 and the storage container 108, and it is made from a steelmaterial. The storage container 108 is made configured to receive andstore up to 70 liters. However, the size of the storage container 108could be made in different configuration to suit the requirements of theportable heating apparatus 100. The handle 120 is provided in the frame118 to allow the user to conveniently move the portable heatingapparatus 100 into doorways. The wheel assembly 122 having a set ofwheels is configured at a rear end of the frame 118 so that with thehelp of the handle 120, anyone could easily pull or push the portableheating apparatus 100 carrying the condensing boiler 102 and the storagecontainer 108. The inlet and exit ports are easy to mount eithervertically or horizontally. When the condensing boiler 102 and thestorage container 108 are put into operation together, it could provide300 liters of hot water per hour and it could produce hot water to anyset radiators to provide heat to the surrounding area.

The portable heating apparatus 100, according to the present invention,is convenient and easy to use at festival pitches, camping, and otheroutdoor applications or anywhere with the need for mobile bathing unitswith hot water facilities. It could be used in houses with damages whereit can supply heat and hot water to the entire premises where damage hasoccurred. The apparatus 100 is also configured to benefit theconstruction sites, where there is no electricity or any other source ofenergy. The solar module 116 in the apparatus 100 is configured tosupply power from the energy stored during daylight time and this makesthe apparatus energy efficient. The three-way valve 134 in thecondensing boiler 102 allows the user to selectively choose the heat orhot water from the apparatus 100 based on the requirements. This is easyto use and does not require any skilled person to operate the apparatus100.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and described in the above detaileddescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiment developed herein, but is capable of numerousrearrangements, modifications, substitutions of parts and elementswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The foregoing description comprises illustrative embodiments of thepresent invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art thatthe within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various otheralternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within thescope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps ofa method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on theorder of the steps of that method. Many modifications and otherembodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the artto which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachingspresented in the foregoing descriptions. Although specific terms may beemployed herein, they are used only in generic and descriptive sense andnot for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present invention isnot limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable heating apparatus adapted to supply apredetermined amount of heat and hot water, the portable heatingapparatus comprising: a condensing boiler comprising an inlet portconfigured to receive water from an external supply unit, wherein thecondensing boiler comprises a central heating system configured to heatthe received water to a predefined temperature; a central pump connectedto a connecting pipe; and a frame onto which frame the condensing boileris mounted, wherein said frame comprises a handle and a wheel assemblyfor maneuvering the frame on a planar surface, wherein the portableheating apparatus further comprises: a storage container mounted on theframe and configured to receive a predetermined amount of hot water fromthe condensing boiler via the connecting pipe, wherein the hot water iscirculated by the central pump, and wherein the storage container isconfigured to constantly heat the hot water and to route the hot waterto an external radiator section via an external distribution line forheating a surrounding space, and a solar module powering the centralheating system and the central pump.
 2. The portable heating apparatusof claim 1, wherein the central heating system comprises a thermalburner in the condensing boiler configured to heat the water using anelectric lighter.
 3. The portable heating apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe thermal burner in the condensing boiler is configured to heat thewater using a source of propane gas combusted with the electric lighter.4. The portable heating apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electriclighter is controlled using a three-way valve to selectively choose thesupply of the heat and the hot water.
 5. The portable heating apparatusof claim 1, wherein the condensing boiler comprises a display unit toindicate the status of the temperature at which the water is heated inthe condensing boiler.
 6. The portable heating apparatus of claim 1,wherein the condensing boiler is configured to receive the cooled waterreturning from the distribution line once the radiative heat transfer tothe surrounding space is completed.
 7. The portable heating apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the storage container is configured to have one or morespiral heating elements to constantly heat the hot water received fromthe condensing boiler.
 8. The portable heating apparatus of claim 1,wherein the condensing boiler and the storage container are connected toa generator to power at least one of the central pumps, the electriclighter and the display unit.
 9. The portable heating apparatus of claim1, wherein the frame is made of steel material.
 10. The portable heatingapparatus of claim 1, further comprising a smoke exhaust port to directthe exhaust emissions outside.